A Zimbabwean woman, Sithembile Moyo, has narrated how she disarmed four men who had come to rob her home.
The four-man gang injured Moyo’s 83-year-old mother by shoving an iron bar into her mouth, ordering her to be silent and striking her on the forehead with the weapon.
Earlier, soon after breaking into Ms Moyo’s house, they tied up her son and threatened to kill him if he failed to tell them where his mother kept her money.
They proceeded to Ms Moyo’s bedroom where they got more than they bargained for when she grabbed one of the iron bars and fought them.
Caston Murerekwa (29) from Mzilikazi suburb and Nyasha Musakwa (40) from Bellevue suburb were each sentenced to 12 years in jail by Bulawayo magistrate, Mrs. Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze, on Monday.
Murerekwa and Musakwa, along with two accomplices who are still at large, were armed with iron bars and knives when they stormed Ms Moyo’s house in Mpopoma suburb on June 14, pretending to be police officers.
The court heard that after incapacitating her son and her mother, they proceeded to Ms Moyo’s bedroom where they ordered her to open her door.
Ms Moyo, who had sensed that something was amiss, refused to open her door and the gang hit the door with iron bars leaving a gaping hole.
The court heard that the robbers’ mission was not accomplished as Ms Moyo fought them through the hole, forcing them to flee from the scene with her son’s cell phone.
Musakwa sustained an injury on his right finger following the tussle with Ms Moyo.
Murerekwa and Musakwa pleaded guilty to robbery.
Mrs Msipa Marondedze sentenced each of them to 12 years in jail. The pair will each serve 10 effective years.
Prosecuting, Mr Simbarashe Manyiwa said property worth $250 at Ms Moyo’s house was damaged when Murerekwa and Musakwa pounced on her.
He said the stolen cellphone was recovered.“As a result of the accused persons’ actions, the complainant’s property comprising of an electric security fence, outside rear screen door, kitchen door lockset, main bedroom door and a bedroom lockset worth a total of $250 was damaged,” said Mr Manyiwa.
(Chronicle)
